Category: Publications

In this paper the LMU (Munich) and AMC (Amsterdam) groups show that blocking CD40-TRAF6 interactions by Small Molecule Inhibitors (TRAF-STOP) treatment strongly reduces atherosclerosis by preventing activation of classical monocytes, leukocyte recruitment, and macrophage activation and migration in the arterial wall. TRAF-STOPs can overcome the current limitations of long-term CD40 inhibition in atherosclerosis and have the potential to become a

The groups of AMC (the Netherlands) and REGIONH (Denmark) collaborated on elucidating the mechanisms by which remnant cholesterol particles may induce inflammatory changes. Remnant cholesterol can be readily taken up by plaque macrophages without previous oxidation of the particle, thereby promoting arterial inflammation. This reaction propagates continued influx of circulating immune cells, predominantly monocytes, into atherosclerotic lesions in both experimental models8 and patients,

In the high impact European Heart Journal, The AMC group (Bernelot Moens et al) published a European Heart Journal paper on the impact of LDL cholesterol lowering on monocyte phenotype and function in patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia not using statins due to statin-associated muscle symptoms.. This open-access article can be found here (doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehx002). The group shows that lipid lowering

In the high impact European Heart Journal, the REPROGRAM consortium published an invited review of the REPROGRAM concepts and approaches. This open-access article can be found here (doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehx581) Main message: Chronic inflammatory diseases are the most common diseases of ageing and represent one of our major health threats. These include. most forms of cardiovascular diseases,

Renewed interest in immune cell metabolism has led to the emergence of a research field aimed at studying the importance of metabolic processes for an effective immune response. In addition to the adaptive immune system, cells of the myeloid lineage have been shown to undergo robust metabolic changes upon activation. In the Cell Metabolism paper, published by

Bonn University (Prof. Eike Latz) and Radboud University Medical Center Nijmegen (Prof. Niels Riksen and Dr. Siroon Bekkering) published a review in the journal Seminars on Immunology in which they discuss the concept of trained innate immunity in the context of a hyperlipidemic environment and atherosclerosis. According to this idea the epigenome of myeloid (progenitor) cells is presumably modified

The group of Prof. Catapano at University of Milano, Italy (IRCCS MultiMedica-MultiMedica SpA, Cardiovascular Department, Atherosclerosis Center) published an highly interesting review on the biological processes of Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin Kexin 9 (PCSK9). PCK9 is a key regulator of low-density lipoprotein receptor levels and LDL-cholesterol levels. The PCSK9 gene is associated with hypocholesterolaemia and protection against cardiovascular disease, setting the stage for

The groups of Riksen, Joosten and Netea investigated the induction of trained immunity (innate immune memory) and the role of immune and metabolic pathways that result in epigenetic rewiring of cellular functional programs. Trained immunity is the key mechanism studied in REPROGRAM and proposed as a common diseases mechanism underlying atherosclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. The study published in CELL